LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A Mt. Washington man hospitalized with COVID-19 is telling others to take the virus seriously.
Joe Akers said he started feeling sick on Sunday with what he believed to be seasonal allergies. By Monday night, he said he had a horrible headache and ended up going to Baptist Health Louisville with minor chest pains.
"I couldn't breathe real good," he said. "I noticed my heart rate was elevated, which is abnormal for me."
Akers said at the hospital, he also realized he had lost his sense of taste and smell. He said he ended up testing positive for COVID-19 and was admitted and put on oxygen.
Wednesday morning, Akers said he is felling much better and is confident he'll be able to go home on Friday, but said this experience has certainly changed his view of the virus.
"I took it serious enough that I wore my mask when I went places, but you know, I didn't take it as serious," he said. "I took it about like a lot of people, not as serious as a condition and the thing is, I have what I consider a very healthy immune system."
Akers now hopes his story will encourage others to be more cautious.
"I don't get sick. This is the first time in my 40 -- almost 41 -- years that I've ever been in the hospital. I took it serious but not like, 'Okay I can't go do anything,' but yeah, people need to take this serious," he said.
Akers said he's not sure where he contracted the virus.
Tuesday, Kentucky health officials reported 1,795 new COVID-19 cases in the state and a 6.24% positivity rate.
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